foramen
[ fuh-rey-muhn ]
/ fəˈreɪ mən /
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noun, plural fo·ram·i·na [fuh-ram-uh-nuh]. /fəˈræm ə nə/.
an opening, orifice, or short passage, as in a bone or in the integument of the ovule of a plant.
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Origin of foramen
1665–75; <Latin forāmen hole, opening, equivalent to forā(re) to bore2 “pierce” + -men resultative noun suffix
OTHER WORDS FROM foramen
fo·ram·i·nal [fuh-ram-uh-nl], /fəˈræm ə nl/, adjectiveDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use foramen in a sentence
Foraminal tubule stout, cylindrical, usually somewhat contorted; its orifice irregular in outline.
Freshwater Sponges, Hydroids & Polyzoa|Nelson AnnandaleThe foraminal tubules are usually long and bent, but are sometimes very short and quite straight.
Freshwater Sponges, Hydroids & Polyzoa|Nelson Annandale
British Dictionary definitions for foramen
foramen
/ (fɒˈreɪmɛn) /
noun plural -ramina (-ˈræmɪnə) or -ramens
a natural hole, esp one in a bone through which nerves and blood vessels pass
Derived forms of foramen
foraminal (fɒˈræmɪnəl), adjectiveWord Origin for foramen
C17: from Latin, from forāre to bore, pierce
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Scientific definitions for foramen
foramen
[ fə-rā′mən ]
Plural foramina (fə-răm′ə-nə) foramens
An opening or short passage, especially in the body.♦ The large opening in the base of the skull through which the spinal cord passes is called the foramen magnum (măg′nəm).♦ The opening in the septum between the right and left atria of the heart, present in the fetus but usually closed soon after birth, is the foramen ovale (ō-văl′ē, -vā′lē, -vä′-).
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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